"I will seek the solutions. I will communicate with the PSSI, its executive committee, and relevant agencies. We hope that through communication and persuasion, we can achieve the solutions," he said at the ministry’s office here on Monday.
The minister earlier met with representatives of football clubs participating in League 2, such as Persipura Jayapura, Semen Padang, FC Bekasi City, PSMS of Makassar, Sulut United of Manado, and others.
Professional Footballers' Association of Indonesia (APPI) president Andritany Ardhiyasa and head of its legal department, Janes Silitonga, accompanied the football clubs' representatives to the meeting.
Amali said that through his direct involvement, he hoped to find solutions to the tournament suspension issue, as he had done in the past.
"During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I also sought the solution (to ongoing issues), hence, (the pre-season tournament) at that time was called ‘Menpora Cup,’" he said.
As communication with the PSSI and competition operator PT Liga Indonesia Baru needs to be sought first, the minister said that he could not speak more about the continuity of League 2 and League 3.
Meanwhile, Persipura Jayapura manager Yan Mandenas welcomed Amali's initiative to seek solutions to ensure the continuity of League 2 and League 3.
"Thank you, Mr. Minister. Our final goal is to ensure that League 2 will be continued," Mandenas said.
The PSSI’s executive committee earlier decided to terminate the 2022–2023 season of League 2 and 3, pushing the ongoing League 1, organized without any club degradation, to the lower tournament tier.
For League 2’s termination, the PSSI justified its decision by citing requests by some football clubs to terminate it as well as the conditions of under-qualified League 2 stadiums and new police regulations on football match permit applications.
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Translator: Michael Siahaan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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